CACERES, SIMON (Jacob) DE

CACERES, SIMON (Jacob) DE (d. 1704), English merchant. Born in Amsterdam, Caceres settled in London before 1656 when professing Jews were still not officially allowed in England. He apparently made no secret of his Judaism and urged *Marranos there to adhere openly to their religion. His business connections enabled him to advise *Cromwell during the conquest of Jamaica. He also suggested a plan to conquer Chile and offered to raise a Jewish force to fight under English command. He signed the petition of London Jews asking for freedom of worship and was responsible with Abraham Israel *Carvajal for the acquisition of the first congregational cemetery in 1657, but played no further part in the community's affairs. In 1697, Caceres was among the first 12 Jewish stockbrokers allowed to trade on the London stock exchange.